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Google Home

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Re: Google Home

#311

Post by EGreg »

api wrote: post #304
amelius wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But do you think that free software can keep up against these giants? In the near future, it will all be about having large amounts of data, and processing power; it will be less and less about the actual algorithms. I'm afraid the only way out will be to rethink the economy.

Another way out is to divorce free "as in beer" from free "as in freedom" and start charging for freedom-enhancing software. Find an economic model that works.

Why not call it "liberating software". Sounds more positive and is more accurate!!

Re: Google Home

#312

Post by notspanishflu »

dredmorbius wrote: post #258
noir_lord wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm thinking my nexus will be my last Android device, not decided yet what I want to replace it with but dumb phone is looking likely, I'm either at home, the office or somewhere I can use my laptop so don't really have the need for a tablet, I might been able to google the odd thing now and again when out and about but that's a once or twice a week thing for me. I've come to resent carrying a phone all the time, I r…

What I like about the tablet is the size, the battery life, the switching between landscape (generally: composing w/ keyboard) and portrait (generally: reading long-form content) modes. A 10" form factor plus bluetooth keyboard is sufficient for some Real Work (though that's hugely crippled by system and software limitations). As a comms device, on a sufficiently fast WiFi/broadband connection, it's also useful. I've…

Have you tried Bq Aquaris M10 Ubuntu tablet [0]?

I've got one and although it is not ready for the general public yet, it's a little gem for us free software fans.

[0] http://www.bq.com/uk/aquaris-m10-ubuntu-edition

Re: Google Home

#313

Post by prawn »

protomikron wrote: post #272
CaptSpify wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

* add $thing to the grocery list * order more $thing * schedule an appointment with (doctor|vet|dentist) * start the dishwasher at 4 P.M. * turn on the oven when I get home etc. Just because you can't think of how it will benefit you doesn't mean it's bullshit.

Yeah, bullshit was a hard term, I am sorry, but I just can not see how these things require a specific "home" device; - grocery list: So some kind of Todo list. But you can do that with your mobile computation device, or just take notes physically? - order $thing: I do not think that humans need more convenient buying-experiences than what is already there (think Amazon, food-delivery services, etc.). I guess most pe…

I recently got an Echo and the shopping list feature is great, even given I'm outside the US and can't use the ordering functionality.

It's very easy (don't have to get phone out or find paper) to say "Alexa, add Cornflakes to my shopping list" and then when I'm at the shop, have a live list to check off.

The timer function is simple but effective as well. "Alexa, set a timer for 10 minutes" when cooking pasta. I get so sick of getting my phone out and doing it that way.

These sound like tiny things, but they're so much more natural.

My three year old asks "Alexa, how tall is an elephant?" etc.

Re: Google Home

#314

Post by prawn »

angryasian wrote: post #55
bache wrote: post #30

price?

Amazon echo is about 179 right now. I'm really hoping google can get this to be about 100 - 125. Based on their history of low cost devices with the two chromecasts, I think its possible.

They'd only need to be friendlier to international buyers than the Echo (which you can use elsewhere, but with some mucking around) and they'll do well.

The best and easiest features of Amazon Echo don't need the most difficult local support. Things like the shopping list sans buying, timers, weather, timezones, traffic, etc.

Re: Google Home

#315

Post by TeMPOraL »

wwwdonohue wrote: post #301
TeMPOraL wrote: post #249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. The current trend of outsourcing everything to "the cloud" is partially fashion, partially laziness, and mostly dictated by business models - why do something the right way (from engineering point of view), when you can lock your users up in your own garden and extract rent (either directly, or by spamming them with ads and selling their data)? Our devices have incredible amount of computing power now - a gr…

"Business models" are why your devices have such incredible computing power too.

I agree. But business models are not created equal. Personally, I'd like more of those giving useful technology and less of those that are artificially limiting it.

Re: Google Home

#316

Post by dingle_thunk »

mbrock wrote: post #151
cheald wrote: post #19

When I was younger, I dreamed of something like this. Voice control for my home! A Star Trek computer that I can interact with conversationally! I just say what I want and it happens! Now, I just see an internet-connected microphone in a software black box which I can only interpret as a giant frickin' security liability. I want this, but unless it's open source top-to-bottom, I won't ever actually put one in my home…

The Free Software Foundation, in its texts, often uses the phrase "the free world" to mean the realm of computing without proprietary restrictions, surveillance, etc. Approximately since Snowden, I've become more and more convinced about both the fragility and the value of this free world. And today, I basically see the tech giants as colossal enemies. Career-wise, henceforth I will avoid proprietary systems and dedi…

https://jasperproject.github.io/

Re: Google Home

#317

Post by TeMPOraL »

chongli wrote: post #307
TeMPOraL wrote: post #249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. The current trend of outsourcing everything to "the cloud" is partially fashion, partially laziness, and mostly dictated by business models - why do something the right way (from engineering point of view), when you can lock your users up in your own garden and extract rent (either directly, or by spamming them with ads and selling their data)? Our devices have incredible amount of computing power now - a gr…

The problem is that our devices are locked up behind NAT routers and IPv6 is starting to resemble fusion power in terms of its ETA. The future of all of our devices having extremely fast connections existing in a world of amazing, free, peer-to-peer applications still seems so far away.

Sadly so. Few years ago I thought we'd all be on IPv6 by now.

BTW just today I was thinking about IPv6 VPNs. Seems like a good way to extend one's Intranet of Things to one's mobile devices.

Re: Google Home

#318

Post by ap22213 »

endgame wrote: post #266
mbrock wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Free Software Foundation, in its texts, often uses the phrase "the free world" to mean the realm of computing without proprietary restrictions, surveillance, etc. Approximately since Snowden, I've become more and more convinced about both the fragility and the value of this free world. And today, I basically see the tech giants as colossal enemies. Career-wise, henceforth I will avoid proprietary systems and dedi…

> (Sorry for this quasi-manifestoish tone...) Don't be. I think it was very well said, and while I've been a bit of a Free Software hippie for a while it keeps hitting me over and over just how far ahead they saw.

It's amazing to me that free software is still strong after all of these years. I can remember back in the early 90s being fed propaganda from my college professors about "the communist" Stallman and his friends. They had made plenty of enemies back then and countless more since. Yet, they kept to their principles and moved things forward to the benefit of billions of people.

Re: Google Home

#319

Post by incongruity »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #315
wwwdonohue wrote: post #301

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Business models" are why your devices have such incredible computing power too.

I agree. But business models are not created equal. Personally, I'd like more of those giving useful technology and less of those that are artificially limiting it.

Well - it's their business and not your model :-)

The challenge is how do we make it economically viable for both the producer of the technology and the end user to keep it useful and local, while also making it a good user experience?

The thing about cloud-based services is that they leverage scale well, making many things cheaper than they ever could be locally unless you buy a device and use it for long time AND fixes can be rolled out quickly with no lagging install base to cause problems or bad user experiences.

I really do want to have my privacy and keep my data safe but I also recognize that's hard to do without higher cost or more hassle (or both).

Re: Google Home

#320

Post by gcr »

Will they offer a rebate for this device to burned Revolv users?

Doing that would be a great gesture.

As it stands, I would be wary of purchasing one of these. How long would it last before Google tires of it?

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